The Definition of Home
by KJaneway115
Summary: Another post-Endgame tale in which Chakotay and Janeway eventually find their happy ending. Since there aren't many happy endings in our universe, at least there can be many in theirs.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Thanks, always, to Mizvoy, for the editing.  
_

* * *

 **THE DEFIN** **ITION OF HOME** _ **  
**_

 **By KJaneway115**

 _For Miz, who wanted a lake story_

* * *

 _Home (n); (1) a house, apartment or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household; (2) the place in which one's domestic affections are centered; (3) any place of residence or refuge; (4)a person_ _'_ _s native place or own country_

* * *

Time for self-reflection was not always a good thing, thought Kathryn Janeway as she sat on the edge of the dock, her legs dangling over the side. Across Lake George, the sunlight cast brilliant reflections on the clouds, making them appear as though they were lined in gold. A long, deep purple string of clouds stretched across the southwestern portion of the sky. The surface of the lake rippled in the evening breeze, cascading over itself in small waves, and the trees rustled in time with each gust.

It was a beautiful setting, and Kathryn took a deep breath, attempting to absorb the serenity of the Lake George sunset. The peace and quiet of the Janeway family lake house was a welcome change from the bustle and hullaballoo that had surrounded her since _Voyager_ 's return to the Alpha Quadrant. But, for the first time in three months, Kathryn Janeway had time to reflect on her accomplishments, and she could already feel uncertainty and depression creeping up on her.

 _Voyager_ 's homecoming had gone better than she could have ever imagined. The former Maquis had been pardoned and granted their field commissions. Seven and Icheb had been welcomed into Starfleet with open arms. Even the former crew of the _Equinox_ had received honorable discharges because of their years of service on _Voyager_. She had been hailed as "legendary," "a paragon of Starfleet principles," "one of the greatest captains in Starfleet history." But the praise seemed hollow. Neither the media nor the admiralty gave proper weight to the times she had failed, all the people she had lost, all the wrong choices she had made. But she could feel the weight of every single one. She could not help but ask herself what she could or should have done differently. She had a hundred questions, but not a single answer.

The limited communication _Voyager_ had had with the Alpha Quadrant in recent years, had done little to mitigate the crew's isolation in the Delta Quadrant. They had missed the entire Dominion War, an event that had reshaped both the Federation and Starfleet, and they had come home only to find that many of their family members, friends, and colleagues had been casualties of war. This was especially true for Janeway. Those people who hadn't died had been altered by their experiences in ways she couldn't understand, just as they could not comprehend the enormity of her exile in the Delta Quadrant. A part of her had expected to return and find home exactly as it had been when she had left. Instead, everything was different, even Starfleet and the Federation. In a way, she felt as though everyone she had known before her journey had gone forward, while she had remained frozen in time.

Her sister Phoebe, now married and expecting a child, had moved off-world, and her mother had moved with her to be close to family, selling the family farm in Indiana in the process. Kathryn's own house had been repossessed when she was officially declared missing in action, and while her mother had held onto a few keepsakes, many of her worldly possessions had been lost forever.

Her former fiance, Mark, was now married with two small children. Her dog, Molly, had died the previous year, and two of her puppies that Mark had kept were now full grown dogs. Mark had been present at _Voyager_ 's debarking, filling in for her mother and sister, who had been unable to get to Earth in time. Kathryn appreciated that he had not wanted her to be alone, but she had been surprised at how much seeing him had affected her. It had felt so strange to be in his arms again, after having dreamt of that moment so many years ago, but to have it mean none of what she had once assumed it would mean. Instead, she knew that he now belonged to another woman, and that his affection was that of a long-term family friend.

In fact, in the three months since her return, she had discovered that most of her old friends who had been single seven years earlier had married or found serious relationships. Some had already been divorced or widowed and were remarried for a second time. Many had children. It seemed that they had all forged lives for themselves, found communities and startedfamilies, while, with _Voyager_ 's crew disbanded and scattered, she had nothing left of the life, the community, and the family she had forged during their exile.

As soon as the debriefings, promotion ceremonies and official functions had ended, Kathryn had escaped to the Janeway family home at Lake George. The lake house had always been a sanctuary for her. Her mother and sister had come with her and had spent two weeks renewing their bond, but now they had left, and she was alone. The solitude was both a blessing and a curse. As the sun sank below the tree-lined horizon, and the clouds began to shift from gold to pink, Kathryn breathed in the sweet smelling fresh air and let her mind wander.

Seeing the shifts in her friends' lives made her realize how little her own life had changed. Now that she had gotten her crew home, she lacked a sense of purpose and longed for a worthy goals and relationships to fill her life. There had been talk of the admiralty, but after meeting her older counterpart, she wasn't sure that was a path she wanted to take. And personally, her life hadn't moved forward at all; in fact, her life had moved backward. She was not engaged, and nowhere near getting married or having children. She didn't even have many close friends among the crew, after years of isolating herself as she had so staunchly believed a captain should. Upon reflection, she realized that this bothered her more than she would have imagined.

She had never been one to place relationships or family ahead of her career. Even when she'd been much younger, those aspects of her life had always taken a back seat to Starfleet. But now, at forty-two, she wondered whether career alone would be enough to fulfill her. When she was old, would a lifetime in Starfleet be a comfort to her? It certainly hadn't been enough to satisfy the older Admiral Janeway. Kathryn wanted someone to share her life with, and not just from fear of growing old alone. Listening to her sister talk about building a home with her husband, about all the hopes and dreams they shared, made her realize how desperately she wanted that, too. She wanted to build a life with someone. On _Voyager_ , she had not been able to acknowledge that desire to herself because it had been impossible. Now that her crew was safely home, she could admit that her career was not enough. _Perhaps the admission is the first step_ , she thought.

The sun was gone now, leaving a golden glow behind. The sky was beginning to darken, and off in the distance, the first pale star appeared. She bit her lip as her eyes welled up with tears. The night sky on Lake George only made her think of one person, the one person she had shared it with on _Voyager_. "How many nights did I imagine this moment?" she whispered to the stars. "But always, when I imagined it, you were here with me."

Yet, instead of sitting on the dock beside her, his strong arms around her, his solid body snuggled up against hers, Chakotay was in San Francisco, or in Sweden, or somewhere else, with Seven of Nine on his arm. He was laughing and joking with her. He was touching her face and smoothing her hair. She was tasting his luscious lips in a kiss, and he was lavishing attention on her at every opportunity.

 _As well he should_ , Kathryn reminded herself. _You certainly never gave him any indication that you wanted to be more than friends. He deserves all the happiness in the world, Kathryn, and you know it._ And that was why she had gone to him after _Voyager_ 's return and wished him and Seven the best. He did deserve it. They both did.

 _But what about me?_ She knew it was a terribly selfish question. She had accomplished what she'd set out to do. She had gotten her crew home; that was all she had wanted. If she'd had to choose between Chakotay's and Seven's happiness, or hers, she would have given either of them her portion of happiness in a heartbeat. So things were just as they should be. But if that was true, why did she feel so empty inside?

Her relationship with Chakotay had always been complicated. Sworn enemies who had become best friends, their cultural backgrounds couldn't be more different. She had grown up with everything a girl could want, with parents who would have supported her no matter what she chose to do in life, parents who enforced a strict discipline but only out of the unconditional love they bore for their daughters. While the house in Indiana had been an aged farmhouse, it had also offered her all of the modern conveniences, as did the summer house at Lake George. She'd had lessons in whatever she had wanted to learn, help with her studies if she needed it, and through any hardship, she had always known that her family was there to support her.

She knew from many conversations they had shared aboard _Voyager_ that Chakotay's childhood had been nothing like hers. His family had never gone without food or shelter, but their means had been meager at best. There had been no tennis lessons or summer house. His family had loved him, but his father had never supported his choice to join Starfleet or encouraged his curiosity about other cultures. Then, after he had run off to the Academy to make a better life for himself in Starfleet, Cardassians had invaded his home planet, killing many of his family and his friends. By the time he'd resigned from Starfleet and joined the Maquis, he had only one sister left. Kathryn knew what it was like to lose people. She had lost her father and her first fiance, but she couldn't imagine losing most of her family at the same time.

Despite their differences, she and Chakotay had forged a friendship unlike any either of them had ever experienced. They respected each other's intelligence, but were not afraid to challenge the other whenever their opinions differed. They had developed an easy working relationship much more quickly than either of them had expected, given that they had started out as enemies. He had become her friend, confidant and biggest supporter.

At first, they had flirted with each other without either of them realizing it. It had not been until they had lived together on New Earth that she had understood the metamorphosis their relationship had undergone without any conscious effort. _Voyager_ had returned for them before they could share much more than a kiss or a touch of hands, and she had been grateful for that. There had been a few other times that they had come close to crossing the line between friends and lovers; the night they had spent on her Lake George holoprogram after she had nearly died, and the dinner in her quarters on the night before _Voyager_ 's failed slipstream attempt came to mind. But each time, one of them had paused, pulled away, and regained their better judgment. She tried to forget the memories of how soft his lips had felt on hers, and the way her small hand fit into his large one. She tried to forget the absolute comfort and safety that she felt in his arms. She tried to forget that _he_ had felt like home.

Later in their journey, as tensions rose between them and exhaustion and despair created a wedge between them, things had only gotten more complicated, and each of them had withdrawn, in their own way, not only from the other, but from the entire _Voyager_ community. It had seemed, at the time, like there was no other choice, but now Kathryn wasn't so sure. Space and time had given her perspective. The quiet that now surrounded her had given her space to think, and the silence of the outside world was forcing her to admit some truths that she had been unable to see before.

She cared for Chakotay, deeply, perhaps as deeply as she had ever cared for anyone. She felt connected to him. She now realized that there was a part of her that had always held onto the hope that when _Voyager_ got home, they would be able to explore the attraction that they had felt for so many years. She had imagined many different lives with him; in fact, he was the only person she could imagine sharing her life with.

 _Is it time to let go of that?_ she wondered. _I think I must be foolish to hold onto this hope, now that he_ _'_ _s with Seven. He would have left that last day without even saying goodbye, if I hadn_ _'_ _t stopped him. He doesn_ _'_ _t care about me anymore, not like that._ She hadn't even heard from him in the month since _Voyager_ 's debriefings had ended.

 _Do I always want what I can_ _'_ _t have?_ she asked silently, looking up at the stars that were slowly filling the night sky. _Is it my own choices that have left me alone and unsatisfied? Could I make myself into one of those people who can be content with less? Or is the problem that I_ _'_ _m not open to a relationship? If I was, would the man of my dreams walk right into my life? Or are some things simply not meant for me?_

Off in the distance, the long, lonely cry of the loon echoed across the lake. She breathed in the fresh, sweet smelling air and looked up at the stars. As diligently as she searched for answers, she was left with only more questions.


	2. Chapter 2

The lake was quiet at night, and after years of constant noise on _Voyager_ , Kathryn relished the silence. As she sat on the dock looking up at the stars, pondering the myriad of questions in her mind, the only sounds were the lapping of the waves against the shore and the rustle of the leaves. It was peaceful.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when her comm badge beeped; the sound didn't belong among the waves, the trees and the stars. Who on earth could be contacting her so late at night while she was on leave? She tapped the communicator. "Janeway here?"

"Captain Janeway, I have a transporter request for you."

She sat up straighter. "A transporter request?" Who would be beaming to Lake George to see her at this hour?

"Yes, Captain. It's authorized, everything checks out. Would you like me to hold it for further confirmation?"

"Can you tell me who authorized it?"

"It appears to be coming from a Commander Chakotay, ma'am." There was a long pause as Kathryn sat frozen, trying to absorb this information. "Captain?"

"Um, yes. I'm sorry. I'll allow the request. Put it through."

A moment later, she heard the sound of a transporter beam, and there, in the blue shimmer, stood the man who had been dominating her thoughts for the better part of the evening. He smiled when he saw her, and she could not help but return his wide grin with one of her own. He elicited these kinds of responses from her; she could never explain why. "Hello, Kathryn."

His voice sent a shiver through her body. "Chakotay." She made a move as if to stand, and he waved his hand, telling her not to bother. Instead, he stepped to the edge of the dock and sat down next to her, his feet dangling towards the water just like hers. "This is a surprise," she said.

"I know. I'm sorry I've been out of touch."

"It's all right. You've been busy."

The edge of the sky was turning from deep blue to black, and the moon was rising over the lake, casting a silver glow on the water. Kathryn's mind was racing. Why had Chakotay come here? Was he here to say goodbye? To try to rebuild their friendship? To apologize? Or, a small voice in the back of her mind asked, was it possible that he had been thinking the same things as she had tonight? She stopped the thought, unable to allow herself to imagine that possibility.

"It's beautiful here," Chakotay said softly. "So peaceful. Your holoprogram was good, but it didn't do the place justice."

"I know. I never could get it quite right." There was a long silence. The water lapped gently upon the shore. Another loon cried in the distance. The leaves rustled once more in the breeze.

Then they spoke in unison.

"Kathryn…"

"Chakotay…"

They stopped and laughed, and then spoke again together, "You first."

More laughter. God, it felt good to laugh with him again, she thought. The laughter died down, and they lapsed into silence once more, both enjoying the simple fact of being in the other's presence.

"How are you doing?" he finally asked.

"I'm fine."

He chuckled. "You always say that."

"Well, it's usually true. Coming home has been an adjustment for all of us, but, thankfully, my worst fears about our homecoming proved to be unfounded."

"You mean we weren't all thrown into prison, or offered to the Cardassians as part of some peace treaty?" he asked with a knowing grin.

She nodded, adding lightheartedly, "I wasn't court martialed, Seven hasn't been dissected for her Borg implants, all of my worst decisions weren't aired on the media for all to see. It was a dream come true."

He looked at her with a knowing expression. "Then why do you look so sad?"

She shrugged, remembering everything she'd been reflecting on that evening. "Things have changed. I guess it's a period of adjustment for all of us."

He whistled softly. "You could say that again."

"What about you? How have you been, Chakotay, other than busy?"

"I don't know. Fine, I guess." He drummed his fingers on the dock, one hand and then the other. "I feel a little disconnected."

"Out of place?" she asked. He nodded. "I don't think you're the only one."

Their conversation turned to _Voyager_ 's crew, to families and friends, to the Dominion War and the changes it had effected in Starfleet. For both of them, it felt good to talk, good to discover they were not as alone in their sorrows, fears and frustrations as they had thought. They slipped into a comfortable banter so easily that it surprised them both. Chakotay was the one to finally voice this feeling. "It feels so good to get this all off my chest," he said.

Kathryn was surprised. "You haven't talked with Seven about it?" It was the first time the former drone's name had arisen in their conversation, and she saw him grow tense at the mention of Seven's name.

"No. She's going through too much adjustment of her own. I don't want to burden her with my problems."

"She should be there for you, too, Chakotay," Kathryn said softly.

"Kathryn…" He started and then stopped, looking down at his hands, which were now folded in his lap. He rubbed his fingers together uncomfortably. "I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past few days. Tonight, I got restless, so I went for a walk in Golden Gate Park. I was watching everyone around me: the couples strolling hand in hand, the mothers pushing their babies, the cadets enjoying a Friday afternoon lying on the grass in the sun. I felt like an outsider, like I didn't belong there. So I kept walking. The sun was starting to go down, and I felt lonely, more lonely than I've felt in a long time. I thought about calling Seven, but I knew that there was only one person I wanted to see in that moment." He looked right at her, his gaze penetrating hers in the moonlight. "That's when I went to the transporter station and requested to come here." Tentatively, he reached out a hand to cover hers. "I feel more at home sitting here with you right now than I have for the past three months."

Kathryn turned her hand over to lace her fingers in between his. "What are you saying, Chakotay?"

"On the ship, maybe Seven and I would have stayed together, but here…" He paused again, running his thumb over the back of her hand, turning his gaze upward to the stars. "I haven't understood a lot of the things my spirit guide has said to me over the past few months, but I think I'm beginning to. Home isn't just a place, Kathryn."

"No, it's not." Her voice caught in her throat, and he squeezed her hand.

"I've cared for you for a long time. I think you know that."

"I care for you, too, Chakotay." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I had many hopes and dreams for us, but I buried them so deep I forgot they were there. It was only tonight that I was remembering how many times I imagined coming to Lake George after we got home. In every one of those dreams, you were here with me."

"I'm here with you now." He scooted closer to her, releasing her hand and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She let herself fall into him for a moment, taking a long, deep breath and savoring the sensation. Then she pulled away.

"What about Seven?"

Chakotay shook his head, his bemusement visible in the pale moonlight. "Seven has tried to end our relationship three times since we got home."

Kathryn chuckled. "Really?"

"Really. I think that if I tell her I'd like to just be friends, she'll be relieved."

"Is that what you're going to do?" Kathryn bit the inside of her lip.

Chakotay nodded. "May I come see you here again tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" The word was suddenly charged with anticipation.

"Tomorrow. If you don't have other plans."

"I don't have other plans."

"Good." Chakotay gazed at her features in the moonlight. He reached out a hand to brush a strand of hair out of her face. The touch of his fingers on her skin sent a shiver down her spine. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Till tomorrow then. Goodnight, Kathryn."

"Goodnight."

He stood, tapped his comm badge, and was gone in a shimmer of blue light.


	3. Chapter 3

The warm air and purple clouds of the night before had given way to a blustery, cloudy day at Lake George. Kathryn had lain awake for a long time after Chakotay's visit, running every detail over and over in her mind. _Is this real? Am I ready for this?_ she asked herself. She knew there was only one way to approach a relationship with him, and that was to open herself up fully and completely, to embrace whatever came with an open heart and a clear mind, to let go of the past once and for all. _Maybe it is about letting go,_ _just not the way I thought._

Another part of her was trying hard not to get her hopes up too high. What if Chakotay's conversation with Seven didn't go the way he planned? What if she wasn't as willing to part ways as he had assumed? What if he awoke this morning regretting his moment of weakness in coming to see her at all? She tried to tell herself that she wouldn't hear from him that day. _Perhaps someday, perhaps not. But not today. Things don_ _'_ _t happen like that in real life._

After her morning coffee, she went for a jog and a dip in the lake; despite the cool breeze and choppy water, the swim felt refreshing. Even the grey days at Lake George were beautiful. She enjoyed seeing the whitecaps on the waves and liked the feel of the wind on her face. It would be a good day to do some work outside. A tree had fallen in the yard and had been cut into pieces, but the excess wood and small branches still littered the lawn. She had been meaning to cart them all down to the fire pit, and that seemed like an ideal task for the day. It would keep her body active and her mind occupied.

She was in the midst of loading the wheelbarrow full of branches when her comm badge beeped. Full of trepidation, she answered, "Janeway here."

"Incoming transport request, Captain. It's Commander Chakotay."

"Put it through."

She went back to her work as though nothing had happened, and did not turn around even when she heard the transporter beam. She was in the middle of lifting a particularly awkward branch when a large hand covered hers. "Let me help you with that."

He was standing so close that she could feel the rumble of his voice in his chest and smell his cologne. Her hand released the branch, and she let him lift it effortlessly into the wheelbarrow. "I kept telling myself you weren't going to come."

"Well," he replied with a dimpled smile, "here I am." In silence, they finished filling the wheelbarrow together, and Kathryn directed Chakotay as he wheeled it down to the fire pit where they unloaded the branches into a large pile.

Kathryn was throwing a log onto the pile when she noticed that Chakotay was watching her intently. The expression on his face caught her off guard; it had been a long time since anyone had looked at her with such open admiration. "What?" she asked.

"We haven't done this kind of work together since New Earth," he said softly. "I was remembering that time." He stepped closer to her. "I think that was the first time I realized how beautiful you are."

She wanted to turn away, back to the wheelbarrow, but she remembered the promise she had made to herself. _Fully and completely._ So she didn't turn away. She stood there as he cupped her cheek in his big hand.

"You are beautiful, Kathryn."

At that moment, a huge gust of wind blew across the lake, and the tarp that was covering the nearby wood pile came loose and flew into the air. Torn from their intimate moment, Janeway and Chakotay chased after it, laughing as it twisted and turned in the air. It caught in a low hanging tree branch and Chakotay jumped up to grab it. Together, they draped the tarp over the wood pile and secured it, making sure it was well tied down.

Janeway looked up at the sky to see dark clouds moving in from the east. "Looks like a storm brewing. Will you grab those floating chairs from the dock and put them in the boathouse? I don't want them to blow away." She had to shout to be heard over the gusting wind.

"Okay," he yelled back.

She had sheets on the line and hurried to take them down. The strong winds made the fabric unruly, and blew her hair into her eyes as she tried to open the clothespins. A moment later, she felt Chakotay's large hand cover hers again as he undid each pin and placed the bundle of sheets under his arm. He kept her hand in his as they walked back up to the house together. By the time they reached the door to the back porch, big droplets of rain had started to fall.

"Help me close the windows," she said when they were inside. They rushed through the house, closing the windows before the rain started to pour in.

"Hatches are all battened down, Captain," Chakotay joked when he met her back in the kitchen.

She laughed. "Good. I think we need some coffee."

"Kathryn, you always need coffee." She grinned, and busied herself in the kitchen. "Anything I can help with?"

"No, thanks. Coffee, I can handle." He watched while she prepared her favorite beverage, and she pretended she did not notice his eyes following her. A few minutes later, she handed him a steaming mug of the stuff, with cream and two sugars, just the way he liked it. He followed her over to the couch, where they could see the lake through the big glass doors leading out to the porch. The wind was whipping up big whitecaps on the water, and the trees bent as each gust blew.

"So, how was the rest of your night last night?" he asked.

"It was fine. How was yours?"

"Well, I had an awful lot of trouble sleeping. I kept getting these images in my mind of a certain woman."

"Oh?" she asked coyly. "B'Elanna?" He shook his head. "Sam Wildman?"

"Nope."

"Maybe Jenny Delaney."

Chakotay placed his mug down on the coffee table and leaned forward, taking her cheek in his hand, his lips almost touching hers. "You, Kathryn. I couldn't stop thinking about you."

She didn't move for a moment, waiting to see if he was going to kiss her. Oh, how she wanted him to kiss her. But then she realized that there was unfinished business to be discussed, and she pulled away. "What about Seven?"

"I went to see Seven right after I left here."

"And?"

"Seven and I are going to be friends, the way it should have been all along. She didn't seem upset. I really think she was relieved; it's what she's wanted for months now. In fact, I think there might be someone at the Academy who's caught her eye."

Kathryn grinned. "Good for her."

"So Seven and I are through. I'm a free man."

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you, now?" She placed her mug on the table beside his and snuggled into his side.

"Absolutely."

"So that means you're going to run around with all variety of loose women? Drinking and gambling? That's what free men do, isn't it?"

"Not this one." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "In fact, I don't plan to be free for very long."

"How long? A few weeks? A few days?"

"Maybe a few minutes."

She tilted her face up towards his to place a long, sweet kiss on his lips. "I think you're out of luck there. I don't have a few minutes to waste."

Chakotay didn't mind that at all, and they spent the rest of the afternoon deep in conversation about their future plans. The rain passed, and by late evening, the storm had broken and large patches of blue sky appeared between the clouds. They sat on the deck with a bottle of wine and a plate of cheese and crackers, soaking up each other's company and reveling in the newness of their intimate connection.

At sunset, they found their way down to the dock. The wind was still blowing, although not as strongly, and Chakotay saw Kathryn shiver. He wrapped his arms around her and bent down to kiss her. Janeway looked up at him, her expression a mix of disbelief and intense gratitude. He watched as her eyes became moist. "What is it?" he asked.

"Last night, I was sitting here thinking about how my life had stood still while other's lives had moved forward. I was admitting to myself for the first time how important it was to me to have a partner, maybe even a family. I was telling myself that I had to give up on the idea of ever being with you, that anything we might have had was too far in the past to redeem. I was sitting here wishing you were here and yet certain that you never would be."

Chakotay tightened his arms around her. "A lot has changed since yesterday."

They watched the sun sink lower, casting a golden shimmer over the water. Kathryn burrowed into Chakotay's embrace, savoring the moment and yet fearful at the same time. "Do you think this was too easy?" she finally asked. "Are we setting ourselves up for disaster, jumping into this so fast?"

He pulled back from her and held her at arm's length. "Kathryn, are you having second thoughts?"

"No, not really. I'm just wondering if we're crazy."

"Well, let's see. We've been to hell and back together. I've thought I was going to lose you more times than I can count. I've almost died, been possessed, or had my consciousness severed from my body more times than you can count. We've battled the Borg, Species 8472, fought the Civil War in the Q Continuum, faced the Vidiians and the Kazon. I've mutineed while possessed by an insane Bajoran. You left the ship and moved in with another man after having your memories wiped by the Quarrans. We've fought over the _Equinox_ , the Borg, and a host of other subjects I can't even remember anymore. So, no, I don't think it's been too easy. And fast? We've known each other for seven years. We've been the only two humans on an entire planet for six weeks. Our friendship has survived the long list of transgressions I mentioned… and that's not even the whole list. I can't even tell you how many times I've imagined building a life with you. We've had seven years of conversations, of friendship, and of foreplay. So, no, I don't think we're jumping into anything too fast."

She laughed out loud. "All right, all right. You win." She grabbed his hands in hers and raised herself up on tiptoe to kiss him.

"You probably are right about one thing, though," he said, wrapping his arms around her again, pressing the length of his body against hers.

"What's that?"

"We probably are crazy."

She grinned and nodded, watching the lavender and purple clouds moving across the sky. The setting sun cast a glow on them, making it look like they actually had a silver lining. "Chakotay?"

"Hm?" His fingers traced idle patterns on her back as the breeze blew her hair back from her face.

"Now we're really home, aren't we?"

He smiled and bent to kiss her. "Yes, my love. Now, we're really home."


End file.
